if the republican leadership had passed some of the obama job initiatives and passed the middle-income tax cut. having done that, held of those initiatives, speaker john boehner says democrats are walking the economy to the fiscal cliff. yet, this is the same republican leadership that had the house and senate barely a full day this week. we have had the election. the president was clear in the campaign in fighting for a middle-income tax cut, a tax cut which, by the way, gives everyone a tax break, but it also asks the upper 2% to pay their fair share. and since that election four weeks ago, we have had time, the president has given republicans flexibility to come up with a credible, specific plans. what they offered in return was an empty letter, lacking in specifics. it was a manifestation of a lack in the republican caucus about the tax cut and no specifics in their planned, and not even senator mcconnell endorsed the plan. we can make a difference right now, by putting the middle- income tax issue up for a vote. democrats are unified on it. we have been discharged position to brin